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The Monster's Protégé - 10 -
"Life is a fight from the minute you take your first breath to the moment you exhale your last." ~ Ronda RouseyA U R O R ASitting behind the closed wooden door, I could hear the animalistic uproar along with the pounding of my heartbeat, drumming in my ears. Both the sounds were terrifying on its own."It's just a fight—a fair fight. Remember every move I taught you."Marco's words floated out of nowhere into my subconsciousness as I tried so hard to find my strength out of them. However, instincts never lie. Something in my gut told me that I have good reasons to be afraid."Let's go. It's time," someone clipped out. I looked up to find a beefy man with a bald head stood by my side.Unable to find my voice, I nodded and stood up on shaky legs.Several steps later, the wooden door thurst opened, the only thing that separated my mind from the horrible onslaught, and the collective roar of beasts deafened my ears. Despite the humid, testosterone-charged surrounding, my skin turned froz
Last Updated : 2023-09-29The Monster's Protégé - 11 -
"In the blink of an eye, something happens by chance - when you least expect it - sets you on a course that you never planned, into a future you never imagined." ~ Nicholas SparksM A R C OThe last time I held my breath for this long, Ralph was teaching me how to evade the waterboarding torture method. It was an exquisite torture plan by pouring water over a cloth covering the face and lets you experience the sensation of drowning.There were times when I had managed to hold my breath longer than usual. But there were occasions when I faltered, and the water would plunge straight into my lungs, burning up.It was an indescribable agony I had endured so far. No amount of bleeding wounds, broken bones, or dislocated shoulder equaled to the pain of burning lungs and lack of oxygen in the system.But when I saw Aurora, walking into the cage with panic-stricken eyes, sweat-sheened skin, and shaky legs, it surpassed every other suffering I had experienced before.Every time her eyes sought
Last Updated : 2023-10-10The Monster's Protégé - 12 -
D O M I N I CWhen I walked out of Marco's place, a black Aston Martin was waiting for me outside. That's funny—because if I correctly remembered, I drove a Ferrari in here an hour ago. And it could not magically morph into an Aston Martin—cars didn't possess such powers, at least not in this century.Frowning, I walked in that direction as a dark-suited man promptly opened the door for me, and I climbed in."One day this bad habit of yours is going to get you killed," I said, without making eye contact as I eased myself on the seat."I have so many that I lost count," said the smooth voice beside me. "But for the sake of the conversation, which one are you referring to?"Marco was ready to cut his dick off and he was joking?"The one where you intentionally piss off people to get a reaction out of them, Viktor," I sneered, turning to face him for the first time getting into the car.He didn't shift at all, and instead gazed out of the window of the moving car, and watched the faint fl
Last Updated : 2023-10-10The Monster's Protégé - 13 -
"The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of... We know the truth not only by the reason, but by the heart." ~ Blaise Pascal"M A R C OThree days had passed since I pulled Aurora out of the cage. But it seemed that I had put myself in one. I confined my thoughts to every nuance of her being—her strength, her weakness, her fears, her defiance. Every little thing about her affected me in ways I couldn't have imagined. My mind wandered to all possibilities of life I could have introduced to her if only she would be wise enough to learn and evolve.Aurora was a compound of wildflowers, raw flames, and a flowing river. Each component was fierce, untamed, and beautiful, and you have to appreciate the indigenousness in its natural form. Like these natural elements, she has a mind of her own, and the complexities were still mysterious.A month ago, I wouldn't have imagined putting myself through these great lengths to be the man of influence in her life. But now, I couldn't even
Last Updated : 2023-10-10The Monster's Protégé - 14 -
M A R C OOf all the experiences life taught me, there was a valuable lesson which I never forgot, and that was: when a Romano shows up at your door, unannounced, it means trouble. T-R-O-U-B-L-E in capital fucking letters.And right now I was staring at the epitome of trouble—Samantha Romano. Hurricanes and typhoons might as well be named after her.Beaming, she stepped up and raised her arms, revealing the takeout bags. "I brought Indian."I eyed her head-to-toe before frowning. "You also brought yourself.""Hmmphf!" Sammy, the shorter version of her name as we called her, pouted. "Where are your manners, Marco? Move please, and let me in!" As expected, she shouldered her way inside the house and trotted into the kitchen."I am not sure you care much for manners," I muttered before closing the door and followed her to the kitchen."Sammy, to what do I owe the pleasure of your surprise visit?" I asked her. Sammy busied herself with the food by taking out them. God knew how, but she wa
Last Updated : 2023-10-10The Monster's Protégé - 15 -
MARCOSammy's divine Plan B was to tell on Viktor—yes, telling on. The thing I did when I was...No, I never 'told on' anyone. It wasn't my style because I considered it to be beneath me. Yes, I broke their noses, fractured their limbs, kicked them in the balls—but I never 'tell on' anyone.I highly believe that even a monster should have standards.But Sammy didn't share my philosophy. Growing up around three brothers, she liked to play dirty all the time. And as long as she won, she didn't mind playing the game.Coming back to her Plan B, she thought it would be worth introducing Aurora to Mrs. Romano. The undercurrent threat was to blackmail Viktor with what he did at La Preda.Viktor's mother, Mrs. Romano, was the bonafide ruler of their house. She made it clear to her husband since her early days of marriage that Alessandro Romano he might rule over Chicago, but when it came the Romano Mansion—her word was law. Apart from that, there was another mandate she has established: innoce
Last Updated : 2023-10-10The Monster's Protégé - 16 -
A U R O R A(A year later) Eighteen-year-oldOne year flew by in the moment's spur. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it the spur of the moment because there were times when time passed at a snail's pace, especially when Marco would push me to work harder every morning. To this day, I wasn't sure how I had managed to follow every letter of his instructions like an obedient protege would listen to her master.It was unnerving—impossible every so often; yet I managed to strive through it all—bleeding, sweating, and panting. And Marco stood by my side, held me tight on occasions when my limbs failed to support me, and then helped me fight back—every step of the way.Marco was a double-edged sword, though. But, sometimes, he could freeze the blood in my veins too. A lesson well-learned in the past year was that: he was not a man to be trifled with when fuming unless one has a death wish. But I was way past my meaningless rebellious stage, knowing very well I wouldn't win against him. Not that
Last Updated : 2023-10-14The Monster's Protégé - 17 -
AURORA "What...what?" Sammy sputtered. "Are you insane?" She tried to laugh it off, but it was way fake. The surprise caught her off guard already. "God...hell no!"I smiled and shook my head slightly. "Let it be if you are going to lie to me, Sammy." I think she tried to justify some more, but alcohol-induced minds were generally less complex.I drank silently from the bottle, looking away from the dance floor. In the short duration of one year that I have known Sammy, it didn't take me much time to realize she was in love with Marco. Deep down, his approval meant so much more to her than her brothers.She didn't only love him but admired him.A long, uncomfortable silence ensued as Sammy finally turned and took the bottle out of my bottle, finishing it for herself.As I gave an accusatory look, she nodded. "Fine, fine—you win. But first, tell me, what gave me away?" Sammy asked softly."I have seen you looking at him...I can't explain. But I know you do love him, don't you?"She sm
Last Updated : 2023-10-14
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The Monster's Protégé - 49 -
AURORAThe car screeched into the driveway of Marco’s mansion and immediately a mixed sense of dread and familiarity hit me.It was the same feeling I felt the first day Viktor brought me here and the only difference was that, I did not know what I was getting into.The mansion looked the same as it was three years ago when I had left Chicago for good. There was always a symmetrical architecture of sophistication and charm. The tall, arched window framed with intricate work and Parisian aesthetic, fuck, it felt like time stood still.I climbed out of the driver’s seat and rounded over to Marco’s side to help him get out. By now, his clothes were soaked in blood and I could see how he was barely managing to hold himself upright.His hand was pressed against his side where the bullet had grazed him earlier. I had to give him credit; he was trying to act like it didn’t hurt. But I could see the way his jaw tightened, the subtle flinch every time he moved.I so fucking wanted to smirk and
The Monster's Protégé - 48 -
MARCO I moved on pure instinct, throwing myself at her. The gun went off, the sound deafening in the night as the bullet whizzed past my head, close enough that I felt the heat of it. I slammed into Aurora, knocking her out of the line of fire and rolling us both into the bushes. She struggled beneath me, cursing up a storm. “Marco, get off me!”“Not until we’re clear,” I growled, already pulling my gun. I fired twice, the silenced shots taking down the guard before he could fire again. I stayed on top of her, my body shielding hers until I was sure the threat was neutralized.When I finally rolled off her, she shoved me hard, her eyes blazing with fury. “I had it under control, Marco!”“Like hell you did!” I snapped back, my patience wearing thin now. “That guy was going to shoot you between the fucking eyes.”“Yeah, right!” She rolled her eyes, clocking her gun as we approched inside. The target was supposed to be simple. I mean, it was never really SIMPLE—nothing in this mafia
The Monster's Protégé - 47 -
Chapter 47MARCOIt took every fiber of my being to restrain myself from kicking everyone out of the room so that I could be alone with her.I knew she hated me, loathed me even, but even she could not deny the pull between us. There will always be something intoxicating, compelling, and everlasting between us—no matter how many oceans we put between us. And Aurora walking inside my domain was only the tip of this behemoth iceberg between us. Of course, she’d deny it. Of course, she’d disagree, but the way she’d fisted the hem of her dress, her legs crossed, her breathing hitched, and her teeth gnawed against her lower lip—every fucking detail pointed to one simple thing that I wanted to know. She was still as much mine as I was hers. And if she thought I fucking did not notice that she was yet to know me in ways her mind could not fathom. And even now, when I was sitting so close to her, I could feel electricity humming between us. But Aurora, being herself, fought it tooth and
The Monster's Protégé - 46 -
AURORAIt was not my first rodeo in a BDSM club. Hell, I had lived this life a few years ago, and yet it felt like ages. As I sat there, motionless and holding my breath, I watched Marco raise his arm at a certain degree and land a measured yet bone-chilling smack across the poor submissive’s bare ass, catching the sensitive skin where the thighs sloped down. He immediately arched, careful not to break his posture because whoever was watching the scene and knew Marco, knew the consequence of breaking his rhythm. Oh, yes. He was as vicious as articulate, and any deviation resulted in severe penalties. “God, please!” I heard the submissive moan into the cushion, the littlest complaint he could make without offending his master and the master whipping his ass. The second and third blows crisscrossed over the ass cheeks, while the fourth and fifth took his breath away. I followed how he cringed every time the soft swish of the belt rang in the air before it landed on his back. “Hmm,
The Monster's Protégé - 45 -
AURORAI stormed into Viktor's office, the door slamming against the wall with a deafening bang. My anger surged as I spotted him behind his desk, casually sipping on a glass of whiskey as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell on me. He looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in my furious expression. “Aurora,” he greeted, his voice calm and collected. Too calm for my liking. “I’ve been expecting you.”I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “What the hell, Viktor? You decided behind my back that I’m going on this job with Marco? You know damn well I can handle this on my own.”Viktor sighed, setting his glass down with a soft clink. “Aurora, this isn’t about your capability. You’re one of the best enforcers I have, but this job is too important to risk anything less than perfection.” Fuck his perfection. I scoffed and my blood was boiling. “And you think Marco is the answer to that? That asshole, who you know I haven’t worked with in years?”“Yes, I do,” he replied firmly, lea
The Monster's Protégé - 44 -
MARCO I had seen her hours ago, hiding behind the glass separator of the Romano mansion, and every bone in my body wanted to drag her out and kiss her lips blue and paint her ass red to make her feel every agonising hour I’d spent without her for these three years. Three fucking years. She took up and left, without so much of a goodbye. Not that I deserved it but I would have eventually given her the truth once the dust had settled. Aurora needed to know that there was another side of the story of what had really happened that night, and all I was doing was protecting her, but as always, she did not wait. I was so angry, so hurt and broken that I’d have taken her scorching rage and indifference any day rather than not seeing her at all. I knew she was hurt, too, for that night three years ago. And she deserved to know more than what the four-minute and seventeen-second video clip had shown, but she could have given me the time. Instead of doing something so brash and reckles
The Monster's Protégé - 43 -
AURORAI have dealt with men far dirtier, more lethal and criminal than the whore I have been asked to capture and torture. It was like one of those warm-up matches you play before you get to the big one. Not that I minded playing the warm-up, but I was bored. “Will you fucking shut up?” I asked, kicking her chair before landing a punch against her jaw. There were black shadows around her eyes already that I had deepened with time, but what I hated the most was her crying all the time. I liked her for a brief second when she gave me the small chase but other than that, she was no fucking fun. And I really wanted to have that fun.But I also had to heed Viktor’s warning that she should not be so broken because he had plans for her and when Viktor Romano has plans for anyone, even the Devil would not interfere. And then when Viktor barged into her cell with his woman, I knew my job was done.XXXSammy, Mia and I chatted alongside the pool, making me realise how clueless Mia was rega
The Monster's Protégé - 42 -
AURORA I didn’t know the name of the magic pill Sammy gave me the next morning but somehow, I felt fresh as a daisy. Considering the night we had, I wondered if I was going to lie in my own vomit the next day. Thankfully, it didn’t happen. I grabbed my phone, going through the messages Viktor had left me last night and also a bunch of files detailing some chick named Nora. Apparently, she slept with Dominic and got close to the family. I didn’t bother how she pissed Viktor off but given the way he wanted me to ‘take care’ of the problem, I was guessing that she had royally fucked with Viktor to incur his wrath. Strolling down to the office, I didn’t bother knocking and barged in. Dominic and Viktor were hunched over the table, frowning over something. As soon as they registered my presence, Dominic rolled his eyes. “Do you ever fucking knock?” He wasn’t least bit surprised to see, especially when he nagged me the entire time to come back probably because Viktor had already inf
The Monster's Protégé - 41 -
A U R O R AI stepped out of the airport and stood out there for a long moment.When the cold wind touched my skin, I absorbed the familiarity of the feeling. This was Chicago. This was home, even when the haunting memories kept me away, I longed for it. I just didn’t realize until now. I hailed a cab and headed for the first destination I had planned. It would not be an easy one, I knew, but I had to. I searched for the right words all along the cab ride, coming up with nothing when the cab came to a halt. Grabbing the small duffle, I paid and got out. I thought of calling or dropping a text, I didn’t know how it would be received. Also, what would I say? What could I possibly say that would make three years worth of the mess go away? So I waited around, lounging on the chair of the small room and hoped for the best.I had almost dozed off when I heard the door unlatch and turned around. Sammy, too, paused at the threshold, surprise etched all over her features before she blinked it
